Rosemary Thornton Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
Old Dominion University
3023 Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library
Old Dominion University
4427 Hampton Blvd
Norfolk, VA 23529
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Jessica Ritchie
Phone: (757) 683-4483
Fax: (757) 683-5954
Restrictions:

Open to researchers without restrictions.

Terms of access:

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, and the holder of the copyright, if not Old Dominion University Libraries.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Box [insert number], Folder [insert number and title], Rosemary Thornton Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
7.60 Linear Feet and 2 half size boxes, 1 oversized box, 2 binders, and 3 poster tubes boxes
Creator:
Thornton, Rosemary (1959-)
Abstract:
The Papers of Rosemary Thornton is a collection of catalogs and documents from kit-house manufacturers such as Sears, Roebuck and Company, as well as papers that Thornton has accumulated during her search for kit-houses in the United States.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Box [insert number], Folder [insert number and title], Rosemary Thornton Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

The contents of the collection include catalogs, photographs, and estimates from kit-house manufacturers, along with letters, photographs, newspaper clippings, and e-mails received and sent by Thornton.

Biographical / historical:

Rosemary Thornton was born in Portsmouth, Virginia in 1959, to Thomas Hoyt Fuller and Betty Brown Fuller. Thornton spent most of her childhood in Virginia, where her father worked as an assistant manager at Skippy Peanut Butter. In 1974, her father left Thornton and her mother, and would not return to Thornton's life until the early 2000's. Most of Thornton's life from then on was spent in Illinois.

As an adult, Thornton's career has revolved around real estate. She first worked as both a realtor and freelance writer in Alton, Illinois. Later, she and her husband started a small rental property business. She continued to do freelance work, along with her real estate business, and published her first book, "The Reality of Real Estate", in 1993.

Thornton made Sears homes and writing her primary focus and career from that point on. She spent the remainder of the year completing her manuscript for her second book and published it in 2002. In less than two years, the book sold several thousand copies, and Thornton received several hundred e-mails and letters about possible Sears homes and praise for her book. She published two more books about Sears homes following that two-year timespan, as well as a re-print of "The Houses That Sears Built".

Thornton later moved from Illinois to Norfolk, Virginia and re-married in 2007. She traveled to more than 24 states to give lectures on Sears homes. Thornton made appearances on several television programs to promote her writing and bring attention to the existence of kit-homes. Since publishing her second book, hundreds of Sears and kit-homes have been found across the United States.

The success of kit-homes began to falter in 1930. The Great Depression, coupled with demand for more intricate house designs, slowed house sales. Sears was forced to liquidate $11 million in mortgages. Sears closed the Modern Homes department in 1940. All sales records were destroyed during the company's corporate house cleaning, leaving no record of where the houses were located. Thornton's third book, "Finding the Houses that Sears Built; A Guide to the 60 Most Popular Designs", revolves around identifying Sears homes, as the only way to find them now is one by one. All other companies closed down their kit-home departments or were out of business by 1982.

Acquisition information:

Ms. Rosemary Thornton

Gift. Accession #A2011-18

Arrangement:

The collection is organized into two series: Series I: Kit-House Manufacturers; and Series II: Rosemary Thornton Correspondence.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard